RADF Investment: $565,700

Other Investment: $235,125

Total Investment: $800,915

Project Period: May 2008–October 2012

T: 403.343.4070

Project Description

This rural health initiative identifies health needs and priorities in central Alberta and shares this new applied research with area physicians, residents, and service providers. Red Deer College manages the project through the supervision of a Rural Health Chair. The Chair oversees the research that tests, evaluates, and demonstrates innovative rural health practices.

Expected Outcomes and Benefits

All projects go through a selection process to ensure they will improve the quality of life for Albertans. This project meets this objective through the following outcomes and benefits:

• Enhance health-centered partnerships between researchers, industry, and communities
• Provide local access to innovative health programs and leading-edge applied research activities
• Help facilitate better health outcomes for rural residents
• Increase innovation and improve health service delivery in rural areas
• Improve connections between rural health researchers
• Involve more rural Albertans, faculty, and students in research projects. Examples include:
  • 37 formal agreements (16 informal agreements) are in place with rural applied researchers and rural health workers to collaborate and share information
  • 17 research projects involving rural Albertans have been launched; 37 more project agreements have been negotiated
  • 25 faculty members and 65 students are involved in rural health applied-research projects
  • 14 rural communities are involved in the research or related application of findings
• Give local physicians, residents, and service providers access to health programs tailored to rural health needs